Moving is a pain. There are no two ways about it. Packing up all your belongings, dealing with annoying movers, and unpacking everything in your new home are enough to drive even the calmest person crazy.
And that's not even considering moving all your stuff from one place to another! But there is one silver lining to the whole moving process: it gives you a chance to declutter your life.
There is no need to get rid of everything you own before moving. That would be a bit extreme (not to mention pretty unnecessary). But there are some things that you can do without. So, in this blog post, we'll look at some of the things you should get rid of before your move and give tips on where to begin. Let's get started!
4 Tips on How to Declutter Your Home Before You Move
So you're finally ready to take the plunge and move. Then, finally, the fun part comes: packing up all your stuff and carting it off to your new digs.
But before you start stuffing everything into boxes, it's a good idea to do a little decluttering first.
Start With the Easy Stuff
Before you start tackling your decluttering project, setting some ground rules is important.
- First, give yourself a time limit. It's simple to get bogged down when you're trying to declutter, so it's essential to set a reasonable goal—say, 30 minutes to an hour per day—and stick to it.
- Second, be ruthless. You don't need it if you haven't used something in six months (or longer).
- Set aside a couple of garbage bags or boxes—one for donations and one for trash—and start filling them up. You can always go through them later and retrieve anything you might have accidentally thrown out, but it's better to avoid caution.
Take an Inventory of Your Belongings
The first step in decluttering before your move is to take an inventory of everything you own. This includes clothes, furniture, electronics, decoration items, and anything else you can think of.
Once you have a good idea of everything you need to pack up and move, you can start deciding what can go and what needs to stay.
Decide What Can Be Sold or Donated
Once you know what you need to move with you, it's time to decide what can be sold or donated.
Furniture, clothes, and other household items still in good condition can be sold online or at a garage sale. And any items that are too worn out to sell can be donated to a local charity or thrift store.
Get Rid of Trash and Unwanted Items
The last step is to eliminate any trash or unwanted items that are taking up space in your home. This includes old newspapers, broken furniture, clothes that no longer fit, and anything else you don't want or need.
Once you've eliminated all the trash and unwanted items, you're finished decluttering before your big move!
Rent Storage for Seasonal Stuff
If you have any seasonal items you don't want to get rid of but don't have room for in your new home, it might be a good idea to rent a storage unit.
This can include things like Christmas decorations, winter clothes, and anything else you only use for a limited time each year. By storing your seasonal items in a unit separate from your house, you'll have more room to store the things you use daily.
Use a Full-Service Storage Provider Like Juujbox
The Juujbox team will pick up your belongings from your door and store them for you until you're ready to receive them again. You can use the storage bins we provide or your own boxes and bins to put in our storage facility.
Juujbox is perfect for customers who don't want to pay for an entire storage unit and prefer to have their items picked up and delivered back to their door. With Juujbox, you pay for storage by the in, helping you save money on storage.
Plus, we're located just minutes from the heart of downtown San Diego which means faster pickup and delivery times. Don't hesitate to contact us today to learn more!
Where to Begin When You're Decluttering
When decluttering, where you start is just as important as how you start. If you begin with a small, easy-to-tackle project—like cleaning out your sock drawer—you'll build momentum and confidence that will carry you through to bigger projects, like purging your closet full of clothes you no longer wear.
Once you start, it'll be hard to stop! Here we shared a few ideas for where to begin when decluttering your home:
Under the bed: This is a great place to start because it's easy and quick; plus, it's an excellent way to get rid of any dust bunnies that may have taken up residence under there. Start by pulling everything out from under the bed, sort through items, and decide what stays and goes.
Donate anything in good condition that you no longer need or want; throw away anything that's broken or damaged beyond repair, and put anything else back under the bed (after giving it a good dusting).
Clothes closet: We all have clothes we never wear—or haven't worn in years—taking up valuable space in our closets. Go through your clothes individually and ask yourself if you need/want each item. If not, donate or trash it. It may not be easy letting go of some things (that dress you wore on your first date with your now-husband comes to mind), but trust us, once they're gone, you probably won't even miss them.
If you do decide that you can't part ways with a particular item, be sure to dry clean your clothes before putting them into storage. It helps protect your more expensive pieces and makes them ready to wear once you need them again.
Kitchen cabinets/pantry: The kitchen is one area where we tend to hold onto things long after they've expired, just like that can of beans from 2004. :) Go through your pantry and cabinets and toss anything that's expired or that you know you'll never use.
Dining room table: Do you need twelve place settings of dishes? Probably not. Go through your dishes and silverware and donate or sell anything you don't use regularly. Once you've decluttered your home, pat yourself on the back—you've earned it! Now, all that's left is packing everything into boxes and getting ready for your big move.
Conclusion
Decluttering before you move is a perfect way to start fresh in your new home. It may seem daunting, but taking it one step at a time is doable (and we promise it'll be worth it in the end).
We hope this guide helps you declutter before your big move. Remember, start with the easy stuff and be ruthless with what you keep and don't. And most importantly, give yourself a time limit so as not to be overwhelmed by the task. Good luck!
